The Grenada gazette. (Grenada, Miss.) 1885-18??, 1887-07-16
REPORT OF THE KINDS COUNTY
GRAND JURY.

REPORT OF THE KINDS COUNTY
GRAND JURY.
After most arduous session of II
DAYS, we, the grand jury of the First
District Of Kinds county, for this the
June term Of the court, having COM
pleted our labors, beg to submit our
Anal report. We have examined 900
witne sses, and have found and re-
turned into court th rty-eight true
hills. of which six have been for
murder, eight for grand larcency ,and
the remainder for minor offenses.
We find, with the exception Of MUIR
der, there is very little crime in this
district; but we are compelled to
deplore the fact that homicide seems
to be on the increase. We feel we
have discharged our duty toward the
suppression of this crime as best we
were able, leaving the court to carry
out the work. We have examined
the public officers accounts and
settlements, and find everything in
good shape. We have examined the
jail, and find the roof and floors in
bad condition, and the bedding and
covering of the prisoners insufficient
and in bad condition. We recom-
mend that proper and clean bedding
be furnished prisoners. and that the
roof be repaired or replaced by new
one. We felt 1t our duty to inspect
the penitentiary, and we report the
result Of our inspection as follows:
We fnd comparatively few prisoners
in the walls OF the penitentiary, most
Of them being out ON the Gulf and
Ship Island railroad and elsewhere.
We found nothing to complain OF in
the walls. The yard seemed to be
clean, and the buildings, 30 far as We
could Judge, in safe and cleanly con-
dition, and those Immediately in
charge, polite and accommodating
tn showing US around. But we feel
constrained by q sense Of public duty
10 call attention to the hospital there,
the manner In which it is kept and
the condition Of Its occupants. We
found twenty-six inmates, all OF
whom have been lately brought
there off the farms and railro ads,
- Many Of them With consumption Shd
other incursble diseases, and all bear
ing on their persons marks OF the
most inhumane and brutal treatment
Most of them have their backs cut In
great wales, scars and blisters; some
with the skin peeling off in pieces as
the result of severe beatings. Theil
feet and hands in some instances
show signs of frost bite, and all OF
them with the stamp Of manhood
almost blotted out Of their faces
which show that have been treated
more cruelty and brutally than a
nation of ssvages ought to permit
inflicted upon Its convicts. They are
lying there dying. some of them on
bare boards, 80 poor and emaciated
that their bones almost come through
their skin many complaining for the
want Of food. We believe they art
fed improperly. Sick people ought
to have light diet and these pool
creatures get their beef, water anc
meal for soup, as we are informed
with coarse meate and cabbage, suct
diet as they cannot eat; one pool
fellow burst ont crying and said hi
was literally starving to death. W.
actuslly saw live vermin crawling
over their faces and the little bedding
and clothing they have is In tatter'
and stiff with filth. We call tn
attention Of the Board Of Control Il
this matter; but under the law W
know they can do but little to remed.
these evils. We believe they will d'
the best they can. We are not to u
understood as condemning the les
sees In person for these things, bu
we do inveigh against the principle
and system Of thIS great State takfnl
poor Creatures liberty, and turninl
him over to one whose interest 1t i
To coin his blood into money. As
fair sample Of this system, on the et'
day January, 1887, 204 convicts wer'
leased 10 Mcdonald UP to June .
1857, and during this six months
twenty died, nlheteei, we're dlscharg
I'd and sScspsd and twenty'thre